USA College of Medicine honors class of 2020

Although this year's graduating class could not gather in person for honors convocation and commencement, the significance of their achievements is not diminished. Below are the award and scholarship recipients from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine class of 2020.

View the full Honors Convocation program.

Watch the virtual Commencement ceremony.

Dean’s Award: Davis Copeland Diamond
Awarded to the graduating senior who has accumulated the highest scholastic grade point average for the full four years of medical school.

Merck Award: Travis Bedsole Goodloe III, Daniel Philip Zieman
Awarded to senior students who have demonstrated superior academic achievement.

Glasgow-Rubin Achievement Citations: Erin Savanna Bouska
Presented to those women students who graduate in the top 10% of their class.

Dr. Robert A. Kreisberg Endowed Award of Excellence: Maria Siow
Awarded to a graduating senior student in the top 25% of the class who is distinguished in both the clinical and basic sciences. This student has demonstrated superior leadership and integrity, possesses a strong work ethic, and has performed in such a way as to earn the respect of his or her fellow students and faculty.

The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award: Michael Patrick Steadman, Nicolette Holliday, M.D.
Presented by The Arnold P. Gold Foundation to the senior student and to the faculty member nominated and selected by the senior class who have demonstrated outstanding compassion to patients and their families.

Medical Alumni Leadership Award: Tyler Joseph Kaelin
Awarded to the senior student by vote of classmates, in recognition of outstanding leadership of the graduating class.

Excellence in Public Health Award: Supraja R. Sridhar
Presented by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Public Health Service to recognize the medical student who has demonstrated a commitment to public health and public health practice and has exhibited leadership and hard work with a passion and dedication to public health within the medical profession.

Community Service Award: Supraja R. Sridhar, Jeremy R. Towns
Presented by the Medical Society of Mobile County to two senior medical students whose classmates believe best fulfill the ideals of humanitarian public service as demonstrated by superior awareness of, and achievement in, civic and community programs.

SNMA Leadership Award: Destini Aliyah Smith
Awarded by the Student National Medical Association to a graduating senior who has demonstrated outstanding community, school, and organizational service and leadership qualities.

Ritha Baliga Memorial Medical Scholarship: Erin Savanna Bouska
Awarded to an outstanding senior student who demonstrates a merit ranking within the top 50% of the class and is interested in pursuing a career in pediatric healthcare.

Dr. Richard William Gurich Memorial Endowed Scholarship: Hannah Marie Ficarino
Awarded to a graduating senior student who has not only performed at the highest level during the third and fourth year, but has also demonstrated efficacy in patient relations and professionalism.

Dr. William James Atkinson Jr. Memorial Endowed Scholarship: Michael Patrick Steadman
Presented to a fourth year medical student exhibiting exemplary character, possessing a dedication to the field of medicine, and demonstrating a commitment to compassionate patient care. This student is interested in primary care and plans to practice in the state of Alabama.

Dr. Joseph G. Hardin Jr. Memorial Scholarship: William Berney Caine Nicolson
Awarded to a graduating senior student who is interested in pursuing a career in internal medicine.

John A. Desak Award: Kristin Nicole Sheehan
In honor of USA College of Medicine graduate Dr. Maryella Sirmon’s father, this award is presented to the highest ranking female in the graduating class who has accepted a residency in internal medicine.

Steven Karl Teplick, M.D., FARC Memorial Award: William Chase Wiggins
Awarded to a graduating senior student specializing in radiology and committed to lifelong learning as exemplified by Dr. Steven Teplick.

Outstanding Student in the Pre-Clerkship Curriculum: Davis Copeland Diamond
Awarded to a graduating senior student for outstanding performance in the pre-clerkship curriculum.

Award for Excellence in Teaching Clinical Skills: Maria Siow
Awarded to a graduating senior student for outstanding teaching skills and student mentoring in the Clinical Skills Program. This student has demonstrated a dedication to education in the field of clinical skills.

Clinical Pharmacology Excellence Award: Patricia R. Connor
Presented to a graduating senior student for demonstrating outstanding knowledge in basic and clinical pharmacology.

Hollis J. Wiseman Award for Excellence in Pediatrics: Maria Siow
Presented to the student who best exemplified Dr. Wiseman’s outstanding scholarship, compassion for patients and families, involvement in the profession and community, enthusiasm for exploration and steadfast love of family, friends and colleagues.

Samuel Eichold Award: Natalie Jean Hargrave
Presented to the graduating medical student who through scholarship, patient care, interaction with faculty and housestaff, and motivation, has demonstrated outstanding achievement in internal medicine.

Dr. Michael M. Linder Endowed Award: Elisabeth May Potts
Awarded to a senior student who has accepted a residency in family medicine and exemplifies a commitment to family medicine, as practiced by Dr. Michael Linder, through astute clinical acumen based on the knowledge of the human body and evidence-based medicine. This student possesses a passion for teaching this knowledge and the  art of family medicine to others, and demonstrates courage to do what is best for the whole patient and their family.

Ralph Denny Wright and Anne G. Wright Memorial Scholarship: Elisabeth May Potts
Awarded to the senior student focusing on internal medicine/family practice, who strives to become a compassionate physician and skilled diagnostician as exemplified by Dr. Wright.

John W. Donald Memorial Award in Surgery: Matthew A. Kassels
Awarded to the senior student who best demonstrated clinical and academic excellence in the surgery clerkship.

H. C. Mullins, M.D. Award: Elisabeth May Potts
Awarded by the faculty of the Department of Family Medicine to the graduating senior who demonstrated excellence in the ability to apply principles, practice, and philosophy of family medicine in caring for patients and their families. This award is given in honor of Dr. H. C. Mullins, professor emeritus and founding chair of the department.

Obstetrics and Gynecology Award: Hayden Hamby Kassels
Presented to the graduating medical student who, through scholarship, patient care, interaction with faculty and housestaff, and motivation, has demonstrated excellence in obstetrics and gynecology.

Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award: Travis Bedsole Goodloe III
This award is presented by the Department of Emergency Medicine to recognize the graduating senior student who demonstrated outstanding performance and academic excellence in emergency medicine.

Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Award: Benjamin Wade Gibson
Presented on behalf of SAEM to the graduating medical student who has demonstrated excellence and academic proficiency in emergency medicine.

Excellence in Psychiatry Award: Taylor Bartlett Ousley
Presented to the graduating medical student who through scholarship, patient care, motivation, and interaction with faculty and housestaff, has demonstrated excellence in psychiatry.

AAN Medical Student Prize for Excellence in Neurology Award: Destini Aliyah Smith
Awarded to the medical student who exemplifies outstanding scientific achievement and clinical acumen in neurology or neuroscience, and outstanding personal qualities of integrity, compassion, and leadership.

Faculty Awards
Best Pre-Clerkship Module: Respiratory
Best Pre-Clerkship Educators: Brian Fouty, M.D., Troy Stevens, Ph.D.
Best M3 Clerkship: Internal Medicine
Best Clerkship Educator: Linda Ding, M.D.

COM Dean’s Scholarship
Erin Bouska
Hunter Childers
Davis Diamond
Tyler Kaelin
Michael Marfice
Benjamin McCormick
Robert Ousley
Taylor Ousley
Supraja Sridhar
Kelsey Templeton
Kelsea Wright

COM Enrichment Award
Breanna Heard-Pinho
DeJarra Johnson
Malik McMullin
Destini Smith
Jeremy Towns

Charlotte H. and Samuel Eichold Scholarship
Joseph Cortopassi
Aaron Dinerman
Robert Ousley
Anna Stevens
Will Martin

Medical Alumni Scholar Award
Justin Beasley
William Nicolson
Whitney Smith
M. Patrick Steadman

Crampton Trust
Elisabeth Potts
Jordan Smith
Christopher Tidwell

Dr. Thomas J. Wool Endowed Scholarship
Lucas Ramsey

Thaddeus H. Waterman Scholarship
M. Patrick Steadman
Daniel Zieman

Ralph B. Chandler Scholarship
Travis Goodloe III

William S. McKnight Scholarship
William Nicolson
Lucas Ramsey

USA Medical Faculty Guild Mendenhall Scholarship
Joseph Cortopassi

Regan Robinson-Young Memorial Scholarship
Aaron Dinerman
Malik McMullin

Daniel F. Sullivan Memorial Scholarship in Pediatrics
Seth Lamb

Donna B. Ledet Memorial Scholarship
M. Patrick Steadman

L. W. Cave Family Endowed Scholarship
Hannah Ficarino
William Nicolson

Mark K. McDonald Memorial Fund
Davis Diamond

Mr. & Mrs. Mendel P. Goldstein Memorial Scholarship
Heath Donahue

Cope Memorial Scholarship
Travis Goodloe III

Stephanie A. Marsh Medical Scholarship
Travis Goodloe III

Robert E. Russell Memorial Scholarship
Aaron Dinerman

Virginia Webb Endowment
John Friend IV

Christian Grinaker Memorial Scholarship
Bonnie Holley

AΩA Scholarship
Davis Diamond

Semple Family Endowed Scholarship
Maria Siow

Taylor-Davis Scholarship
Dylan Adams

Drs. Ron & Vicky Franks Scholarship Endowment
Maria Siow

Surgery faculty member recognized for excellence in medical education

Karen Braswell, supervisor for clinical education at the USA College of Medicine, presents the Best Clinical Educator Award to Linda Ding, M.D., assistant professor of surgery.

Linda Ding, M.D., F.A.C.S., assistant professor of surgery at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, was recently named Best Clinical Educator by the class of 2020. The award, chosen by the graduating students, caps off a year of honors for Ding.

In addition to being named Best Clinical Educator, Ding was awarded the Red Sash Award and elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society by the graduating medical students. She was also named to the University of South Alabama Chapter of the Arnold P. Gold Humanism in Medicine Honor Society by the class of 2021. Ding is the first faculty member to receive all of these accolades within the same academic year.

“I am extremely grateful to be recognized by the medical students,” said Ding, who is also a general surgeon at USA Health. “As an educator, it’s my job to make the surgical experience accessible and engaging for all students. The best way to do this is to put the essential surgical knowledge in the context of their chosen future specialty, whether that’s surgery or not. To see the excitement and the ‘lightbulb turn on’ in a student’s mind is priceless.”

Ding joined USA Health in 2016. She is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Association for Surgical Education, and the Eastern Association for the Society of Trauma.

The In-Between Time

By Marjorie Scaffa, Ph.D.

Liminal space – this is where many of us find ourselves now several months into this COVID-19 pandemic. The root of the word liminal comes from the Latin limen, meaning threshold, or a place of beginning or entering. It is the in-between time of grieving the old and uncertainty about the future. Although we may not like it, this is the process of change and transition and where transformation takes place if we learn to wait and sit with the discomfort of not knowing.

Change is often energizing and engaging. We saw this during the initial weeks of this crisis in the incredible outpourings of service offerings on social media. We saw this in the calls to “seize the moment” and use this time for personal growth. We saw this in the very real and dramatic shifts that businesses, governments, and educational systems across the globe made – without any playbook – to continue to serve the needs of the community.

In this liminal time, we are in a waiting space between two worlds. We will not be going back to the old as we knew it, and we do not know what the new will be. We are grieving the old and are uncertain about the future. Anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one knows this experience of in-between time. It is crazy uncomfortable.

Some of the feelings many of you may be experiencing at this time include:

• Misplaced anger: Getting irritated or angrier than normal at people and things that would not normally make you upset. This may be driven by underlying thoughts like, “I can’t stand this!” and “When will this end!” as well as grief over the things that we are missing during this time.
• Difficulty focusing: As your brain tries to make sense of this transition, integrate all the information, and continue to move forward on a daily basis with the tasks at hand, you may find it more challenging to stay focused.
• Worry thoughts: “What will happen next?” “What should I do to prepare?” “How can I stay sane right now?”
• Antsy-ness: You maybe be noticing a sense of urgency in your body and mind to DO SOMETHING! You may have even taken action on those urges.
• Lethargy: A lack of energy to do much. This may be related to grief as well as the energy it takes to change and integrate new information. This needs to be honored.

These emotions and experiences are normal reactions to an abnormal situation. It is in our nature to avoid these uncomfortable feelings. However, it is when we step out of our comfort zone and practice being with the uncomfortable that the magic happens. Your patients will be doing this every time they are vulnerable and reveal themselves to you.

Here are some ideas for how to be with the uncomfortable feelings that may be arising at this stage of transition:

Remember that it is normal to feel restless, agitated and/or impatient. Our brains are wired for novelty. This drive is what helped us survive by keeping us curious and creative. You might say to yourself, “I’m feeling agitated. This is normal. Let me feel this.” You may be surprised how simply naming the feeling, in time, can help to soften it.

Get curious about you, including your capacity for tolerating difficult emotions. What are my habits? What do I typically do when I feel that little anxiety bubble creeping in? Do I pick up my phone? Do I eat? Could I sit with this feeling a little longer? A practice for this is what we call surfing the wave. Stress is like waves rolling into the shore. Some days the waves are small, barely a ripple, and other days, the waves are huge and overwhelming. There will always be waves. You cannot stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.

Here is the surf the wave technique:

1. When you notice a body sensation, thought, or feeling of discomfort, pause for a moment. 
2. Take three deep breaths, prolonging both the inhalation and exhalation.
3. Close your eyes and visualize being at the beach with a large wave taking form. This wave symbolizes your sensation, thought, or feeling of discomfort.
4. Watch as the wave reaches its peak and then starts to diminish and flow into the shore.
5. You should feel a sense of relief as the sensation, thought or feeling wanes.
6. Repeat the visualization as often as needed to reach a state of calmness.

You might discover that you have more capacity for being with uncomfortable feelings than you thought. This builds trust that we can handle difficult things and reminds us that we actually are resilient. This insight is huge! Uncomfortable experiences are going to keep happening (sorry!), and it’s good to know we can handle them.

Envision your future: Take a few minutes each day to reflect – and journal, if you can – about what you want for your future:

• What am I doing now that I have not been able to do before?
• Who do I want to be on the other side of this pandemic?
• How do I want my days to look?
• What do I want to bring to my life? to the world?
• What am I learning about myself now that I want to bring forward? What internal resources are showing up?

By spending some time listening to the quieter stirrings of our soul rather than reacting out of habit, we might discover some amazing things about ourselves, our relationships, and our deeper yearnings for the lives we want to create. The possibility for transformation is right here, if we are willing to shift out of the busy-ness of doing and practice being with – marinating in – the uncomfortable experience of liminal time.

Marjorie Scaffa, Ph.D., is a health and wellness counselor at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine.

Ovarian cancer researcher to present at SGO webinar

Research by a physician-scientist at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine will be presented virtually this week as part of a webinar series held in lieu of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology 2020 Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer.

Rodney Rocconi, M.D., gynecologic oncologist at USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute and professor of gynecologic oncology at the USA College of Medicine, will present his research on ovarian cancer in a webinar entitled “Front Line Ovarian Cancer: Turning up the Heat on Immunotherapy” on Thursday, May 14.

Rocconi’s research found that vaccines made from patients’ own tumors could prolong the lives of women with ovarian cancer, particularly those without a BRCA gene mutation. The presentation is one of four pre-recorded sessions to be aired during the webinar. Rocconi and other researchers will answer participants’ questions live via Zoom teleconferencing.

The SGO meeting, which had been planned for March 28-31 in Toronto, was cancelled after large gatherings were banned because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Members were invited to register for webinars to learn about selected research findings.

Uterine cancer research co-authored by Nate Jones, M.D., gynecologic oncologist at the Mitchell Cancer Institute and assistant professor of gynecologic oncology at the USA College of Medicine, had been slated for oral presentation at the meeting. The study identified differences in certain molecular profiles of uterine cancer between African American and Caucasian patients. The research findings are expected to be posted online or presented at a later date, according to the SGO.

Pediatric grand rounds set for May 15

Ryan Himes, M.D., section head for pediatric gastroenterology and hepatology and nutrition medical director for the Pediatric Liver Transplantation Program at Ochsner Health in New Orleans, will present a virtual pediatric grand rounds on pediatric acute liver failure at 8 a.m. Friday, May 15.

In his presentation, Himes will discuss the common causes of acute liver failure in children of different ages, explain the concept of “balanced coagulopathy,” and review the utilization of N-acetyl cysteine for appropriate cases of acute liver failure.

To register: https://southalabama.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEocu2vrTwjH9dPFfOIgOLBTS9ZtEQwl70U

Pediatric grand rounds is held the third Friday of each month from 8 a.m. until 9 a.m. For more information, contact Jessica Petro at (251) 415-8688 or jpetro@health.southalabbama.edu.